A Song Of Snow And Sky
by Lady Halfheart
Summary: "He is cold like ice, evil like a rat and ugly like a toad. Do you even know who you're dealing with, Ceyana. Do you really?"
1. Prologue

She smiled at the feeling of the fresh water covering her naked body inch by inch. It always felt so good. Even in the winter – if she even remembered last winter. Goosebumps covered her flesh and made her nipples rock hard, but she never felt a single chill in her body. She was boiling inside, full of life. She didn't even bother looking around if anyone would see her. Steam appeared lightly on the surface of her skin as she brought her head back out from underwater. When she stood, the water reached just the top of her breasts. She spread her arms and legs and let herself float for a few minutes before swimming around. She loved the water. She felt as if she was meant to live in it.

Unfortunately, Skyehold was nowhere near the sea or a river. She had to contempt herself of the natural pools in the godswood of the castle. The pools were deep enough to dive in and large enough to fit at least 20 people. Some would call them small lakes. Ceyana Empharrion just liked calling them the Pools. They were her favorite thing about Skyehold.

A noise made her jump as she was leaning against the edge of the largest of the Pools. She turned quickly, covering her breasts before sighing in relief as she saw her sister. Maye was of the same age as Ceyana. She too was a maid of fourteen. Although she was to be married soon, she still looked as innocent and pure as her twin sister. The two girls were fair of face, blonde like wheat and had big hips and generous breasts. It was said that they were the two girls every young man would be fighting for in the North. But of course, this was an other tale of their old wet-nurse, Gena. Gena liked to make the twins feel desired and special.

Maye's blue eyes widened at the sight of her sister. "You're going to be late!" She said in a hurried voice, running to the other side of the pool with Cey's clothes. "Quick, put those back on before Mother sees us here."

She helped her twin get dressed and fixed her wet hair into a braid to make it look more presentable, in case they did indeed arrive too late. The two girls ran hand in hand to the tower where they shared a chamber together. The maids were already waiting for them, two large hot baths sitting besides them. They washed them, dressed them in their nice gowns and styled their hair the northern way.

Cey took a quick look at herself in the mirror. She was wearing her dark blue dress, the one her mother had given the day she had become a woman. The sleeves were tight and patterns were sowed on the rims of the dress. The patterns were silver, showing the colors of House Empharrion. She was dragged by the arm to follow her sister quickly down the steps, then they ran towards the main gate of the castle, where their family and household were already standing in line, waiting for their guests in the yard.

They placed themselves between their two brothers. On their right was Ellard, the eldest, aged of eighteen years. He was here with his wife, Lady Fea Oswell, and their child, little Rickard who was aged of three. Cey hadn't seen her brother and his family since their return to Skyehall. She streched her head forward to see Lady Fea standing uncomfortably because of her swollen belly. On their left, Eddard was standing tall and proud of his ten years of age. His brown hair fell in light locks to his shoulders and his blue eyes were popping out from his freckled face. Cey looked at her twin sister and they shared a nervous, excited half-laugh before they heard the gates open.

Through the Blue Gate first came the banner of House Bolton, the flayed man flying and whipping in the wind on its black background. Maye squeezed Ceyana's hand. She had always been scared of Lord Bolton. She always told Cey about their barbaric punishments at night, to scare her. Cey didn't feel anything when she saw Roose Bolton. She couldn't. He looked so ordinary and normal. Only when he flicked his pale eyes towards her that she stiffened a little. She held her head up high and looked at the following people. Her heart sank when she saw the young man riding behind Lod Bolton. If he was who she thought he was...

"The Bastard of Bolton," she heard Maye whisper in her ear. She turned her head lightly and saw that her twin sister was looking in the same direction as her. "He's the worst of all-" she was cut off by their older brother elbowing her lightly in the ribs.

They said no more about it. Their family was proud, and the children must show how disciplined and correct they are in presence of guests.

The host came to a halt and Roose Bolton dismounted his garrison, followed by his son and the rest of them. Not knowing where to look, Ceyana set her eyes on the black stallion standing opposite her. He was a beautiful mount. Strong and black as a raven. She felt a light pressure on her and moved her eyes to see the Bastard standing by the horse, staring at her in the eyes. The shivers that went up her spine were unexpected. It took all her strength not to move or show her uneasiness at the sight of these cold, pale tiny eyes that had met hers for a second. She would have blushed if a man ever crossed her gaze, but his stare made her pale and cold. She felt cold. She turned her eyes away, but still felt him staring. Maye's hand tightened around hers and Cey felt safe again.

"Lord Bolton!" Lord Torrhen Empharrion called out, meeting Roose Bolton for a friendly embrace.

"My Lord," said the Lord of the Dreadford as they parted. The smile he gave Torrhen showed how much friendship the two men shared. "Lady Mercilya." He took her mother's hand and bowed before her.

"I do believe you remember my son, Ellard," their father motioned a hand towards his eldest son, "Let me introduce you to his wife, Lady Fea Oswell, and their son Rickard." Roose Bolton greeted them courteously before turning his icy eyes towards the twin girls. "Maye and Ceyana," said Torrhen, "They were very young last time you saw them, I believe."

"They have grown very beautiful," commented Roose, who was now standing before them. Ceyana and Maye both showed a courteous bow to greet the Lord. He bowed in turn and walked down the line to be introduced to the other children.

Lord Empharrion introduced him to Eddard then to little Elia, who was only four. Roose laughed lightly at the shyness of the babe before turning towards his own host. He presented them his new squire briefly before putting a hand on the Bastard's shoulder.

"You might have heard of him," Roose said coldly, looking at his son, "But I do not believe you have met Ramsay yet," Ramsay nodded at Lord Torrhen, "He may be a bastard, but I still need to find my son a wife, at this point." She heard Lord Bolton tell their father as they walked away from the young man.

She did her best to keep her eyes away from him, but it was hard. He was... intriguing. She was curious, after hearing everything they say about him. Was he really that evil? Does he look like the kind of man who would flay his enemies alive? _Yes_, she told herself. _He does_. His eyes were the color of ghosts, his hair was long and dirty, a black mop falling to his shoulders. His mouth seemed to always be half-grinning through these thick lips. He seemed stocky of body, but nothing about him was fat. Maybe he'll be fat when he gets older. _He is not attractive,_ thought Ceyana. _But something about him stops him from being ugly..._

She turned at the feeling of her arm being pulled. Maye looked at her in a stern way, mentioning a direction. Everyone was leaving the yard to go into the hall, so Cey followed her sister towards the stables. They climbed a wall and sat on the flat roof of the stables, where they always went to speak privately.

"Doesn't he scare you?" Whispered Maye, in a voice so low Ceyana wasn't sure to have heard her.

"Have you seen these eyes?" Replied Cey, in the same tone.

"Yes!" Said her sister, in a normal voice, now. "I thought you were going to freeze, Sister," she put a hand on hers. "You are always warm, but you felt to cold when he looked at you."

Ceyana didn't know what to reply. She nodded. She was right. Nothing scares her, nothing feels cold to her... But he does. She shrugged her shoulders and looked at the yard. Thankfully, he was gone. _He's just a bastard, he means nothing to me_... She told herself.

She grabbed his hand to scare him, like she always did. It always worked, too. He turned around suddenly, she even saw his hand reach down to his sword's pommel for a second. Then he just punched her shoulder and drew her into a tight hug. He could have broken her back if Cey wasn't his sister.

"Where have you been all day?" He asked, his hands still on her shoulders. "I had hoped to have at least caught a glimpse of you when we arrived, but not even!" His big blue eyes looked almost worried that she had been up to something bad. Then she realized that he just looked hurt.

"Sorry," she started, looking down at her feet, "The Pools couldn't wait." She explained.

He laughed loudly at tapped her on the shoulder one last time. She stared at her brother for a moment, happy to see him again. He was tall and thick with muscle, his brown hair fell in clean, loose locks to his jaw and a light stubble could be seen on his chin and above his lip. He too had light freckles on his cheekbones. All the serving girls dreamed of marrying him, and when she walked through the village, the young ladies would whisper about how handsome her brother was. But he was married to Lady Fea Oswell. Ceyana turned her gaze to look at her, sitting at the table, next to her lady mother. Her dark ginger hair fell loosely past her breasts and bounced as she laughed at her good father's jokes. She too had styled her hair the northern way, with the front tied back in braids and twists, with just the back left to cascade down her red dress. To Ceyana's eyes, she was one of the most beautiful women she had ever seen. Being heavy with child made her look chubby and welcoming, which she already was anyway. Her cheeks were naturally tinted in a light pink shade, and they went red when she drank wine. She waved at Cey and smiled on of her wide white smiles. Cey waved back and went to sit next to her sister.

Maye was dressed in blue too, but her gown was a light blue. The patterns sowed to her dress were dark blue. Her hair was tied in a braided bun with blonde strains falling out of it. Cey took a bit of Maye's hair and tucked it back in her bun then smiled warmly at her twin sister. They held hands under the table to wait for the first course of the feast.

She felt someone sit beside her, smelling of orange flower soap. She loved that smell, it put a smile on her face. Her smile dropped and her heart sank when she saw who was sitting beside her. He didn't seem to notice her at first, but she recognized his greasy hair as he was talking to the person on the other side of him. Maye squished her hand as she looked at her with wide eyes. Ceyana decided to be more discreet and polite and not react in any way. Her face stayed neutral and she stared at the floor in front of their table.

"Lady Ceyana," his voice was so normal it surprised her. She blushed and turned around to meet these ghostly eyes. His mouth was twisted in a smirk. It seemed he didn't know how to really smile. "It's an honour to be seated next to the prettiest daughter." He said, his arms crossed on the table so he could lean on them.

"I..." his kindness took her by surprise. "I thank you, my lord." She said in a polite and quiet voice.

He offered her and Maye some wine. She accepted, but Maye declined. Maye and her never drank wine, but Cey couldn't decline. Not now that he was being nice. She felt intimidated by him. He seemed more massive and tall seated next to her. His arms were like small tree trunks and the space he took between the table and the back of his chair could fit two girls of Ceyana's size in it. He was dressed all in black, except for the flayed man on his surcoat and his grey tunic. She caught a glimpse of a ruby shaped like a drop of water hanging from his ear lobe. _It looks more like a drop of blood than a drop of water,_ she thought. It gave her more chills. Nevertheless, it suited him. It made him look... evil. But he is evil, isn't he?

She looked away from him when the first course arrived. She kept her eyes on her plate throughout the whole meal, not daring looking to her left. Maye's presence made her feel better, and they had pleasant conversations that made her forget that the Bastard of Bolton was sitting right next to her.

Later that night, in their private chamber, the twins were brushing their hair silently. Neither of them dared say a word about the feast.

"Did he smell something?" Asked Maye at last, brushing her sister's golden cascade of locks. Cey shrugged her shoulders to seem indifferent.

"He smelt of orange flower," she replied, trying to forget the fact she loved that smell. "I don't see why he should smell bad, though," she added.

"You're right," agreed her sister, nodding her head. "He's a human being like us, after all."

They both knew how wrong that sounded, but said nothing of it. You did not need to know Ramsay Bolton to say he's a monster. Everybody knew that. The sister would hear conversations between their father and other men about the crimes the Bastard committed around the North. Especially around Skyehold; which was the next castle to the Dreadfort. Ceyana shivered at the thought of the tales she had heard and took the brush out of Maye's hand.

"Your turn, sister," she said quietly.

Although her twin had the same hair as her, she always loved to brush it. Hers was more golden that Ceyana's. Darker and less curly. That is how people would tell them apart. Even then, it was a hard task. They were exactly identical, there was no denying that. If someone were to marry them, they could have both ladies, it would be the same. Only their characters were different, and that is why Maye was already betrothed and not Ceyana. Maye was to marry Ser Marq Piper when the was ended, it was told. Only Ser Marq Piper is now a captive at the Twins and could soon be hanged for his stubbornness.

Ceyana's heard sank a little at the thought of what had happened to the Starks. She still couldn't understand why her father would agree with Lord Bolton for this massacre. The Starks were friends of House Empharrion. He even gave Roose Bolton a few thousand men to help. She remembered crying the night the raven came to bring the news to Skyehall. She also remembered her father's words too well. "They deserved it. They betrayed Lord Frey. No king should betray any lord." He said quietly and gloomily as he held the letter, after reading it to his children. Her brother Ellard had been a guest at the wedding with his wife, but swore to have never known anything about the planning of the Red Wedding.

She sighed at turned her head to look out the window. It was an icy and quiet night, like many others. But that night seemed a little more icy that the others, for some reason.


	2. Ceyana

Her eyes didn't seem to move for a long moment. Or at least it seemed to be a long moment to her. She stared down at the courtyard where her brothers were fighting near the armory. Or more likely: Ellard was teaching Eddard new things. Rickard was running around with Elia under Gena's weary eyes. The wet nurse was shaking her head now and then as she sewed silently.

Skyehold seemed so quiet. Hounds were barking, her brothers and sisters were shouting, the market was on, but everything seemed so dead to her. She hated that feeling.

"Sister," she heard a faint voice call behind her. "Come, let's walk."

Maye liked to take Ceyana for walks when she could feel something was troubling her twin. She would always grab her hand gently and take her outside to walk around the godswood or the gardens on Skyehold. The castle had beautiful gardens full of roses of all colours and all sorts of plants growing neatly but freely around the sand paths.

She could smell the fresh, green scent of nature as they walked silently, their arms laced together, taking in the tranquility of the North. Here, it seemed there was no war going on in Westeros. Ceyana loved that feeling.

"Everything seems so dull..." Maye sighed. "I don't feel like laughing, smiling or having a good time. I wished I had married Ser Marq before he got captured. I would have Pinkmaiden, at least, to explore on days like this one." She turned to her sister with a smile. "I would invite you and make you stay with me all the time!"

"I wouldn't be allowed," said her sister in a low voice. "You know that Father would never let me travel with everything going on around us." She sighed sadly. Things had changed so much...

"I would have my husband's men escorting you," insisted Maye. "They would bring you to Pinkmaiden and I would find you a suitable, beautiful husband to marry, so we could be the same."

"I am jealous of your dreams, Maye..." Said Ceyana, smiling sadly at her sister. "You have such pretty thoughts. I can't think of anything pretty..."

She thought of those eyes. Those small, ghostly and cold eyes. He was so _scary_. Was it because he's a bastard? No... Father has a bastard, and she isn't like this. Maybe it's because she's a girl. Rhona Snow was perfect in any way, except for her base-born status... Ceyana and Maye still played with her as if she were a real sister when they were young. They still have the occasional gossip exchanges when they manage to see each other. Rhona works at the tavern on Youth Street in the village outside Skyehold. The village doesn't have a name – it never had one. But people tend to call it the Sky Village.

"You're thinking about that Ramsay," Maye said, turning to face her sister. "You're afraid of him, now that he's here and you know he's real."

Ceyana shook her head, surprised by the statement. She was thinking of Rhona... "No, I don't care about him..." She said, unsure herself about what she was saying. "I just... He was nice to me the other evening, you shouldn't..."

"He's a horrible creature." Maye hissed, looking around. "A bastard, too... Ramsay Snow, not Ramsay Bolton." She insisted on the name 'Snow'.

Ceyana thought she could see the back of his head behind a wall next to the stables. And she was right: he was there, holding his horse's rains, all muddy and wet after his hunting. She guessed that by the dead animals hanging from his saddle. He met her gaze and never looked away. If only Maye's voice wasn't so loud...

"Maye, be quiet!" She urged her sister, taking her by the arm. She started leading her to their tower before Maye took her arm back.

"Why?" She said, a little too loud. "Why should I be quiet? You're always keeping quiet, Ceyana, someone has to say it loud, don't you think?" Her cheeks were red and the look in her eyes didn't show anything pleasant about her mood. _Why was is angry?_ "He is a Snow, and no matter what people say, he will always be one!

"Just because the King said so, it doesn't mean he's a Bolton. He can't be a lord, Cey, he's a bastard! An evil, vile person who is now scaring you. You see?" She stood tall and proud of her words, like she never said anything wrong. "He is a bastard. Therefore a Snow. You needn't worry about him, sister, he can't do any of his mischief here in Skyehold." She said more slowly, walking towards Ceyana. She took her face in her hands. "Don't be afraid, stop thinking of him. He's nothing to us." She whispered, before embracing her.

Ceyana didn't know wither to slap her, cry or run away and never show her face again. She looked over he twin's shoulder and saw him standing there. That smirk had left his lips and his icy, evil look was piercing through her like an arrow. He didn't move, not one bit. She saw his hand grip the handle of his sword, but he did nothing – and that scared her more than if he had, indeed, done something. _You stupid_, she thought, _why can't you keep your mouth shut? _

"No," she pushed her sister's hands away from her, a little brusquely. "I am not scared, Maye," she tried looking as angry as she could. "You have to learn to talk a little less and give people a chance. I'm not scared, you just angered me." Her voice was tight and trembling.

Tears left her eyes, but there was nothing sad about them. They were tears of rage and embarrassment. Cey only wanted to give the Bolton's a good impression but her twin _ruined_ everything! She was too rude and arrogant to even think about her words before speaking them.

Her chin rested in the palm of her hand as she looked outside her window. She was sighing for the fifth time when she finally heard the knock on her door. _Father wants me..._ She thought straight away. He always sent a guard to come and get her when he wanted to speak with her about something important.

"M'lady is wanted at the Great Hall," instructed Ser Lio Tensey. He was the captain of Father's personal guard. An old and loyal friend of House Empharrion, even before she was born.

"Thank you." She said quietly, taking his arm.

As he led her through the castle's corridors, she could not think of anything other than the face of Ramsay Bolton as he told her father what insolent and rude girls Maye and her were. Why else would he want to speak to her? If it had been something less important, he would have come to her himself... Her stomach was knotted tightly as they crossed the yard to go to the Hall. What if everyone was there, waiting for her to explain Maye's behavior? She would be so humiliated...

She almost fainted of nervousness as Lio opened the heavy oak doors.

But no one was here, except for her father, Lord Bolton and Ellard.

She swallowed hard as she walked towards the table where they were sitting, straight as possible. Ellard looked so serious she was sure someone had died. Father looked uncomfortable. Lord Bolton seemed pleased.

"Sit, Ceyana," said her father after she had greeted the small crowd. "Listen, this is important..." He was cut off by a heavy sigh from her brother.

"Father, must we?" He asked, exasperated by whatever had been going on before. He sounded as if he had been trying to convince Lord Empharrion about something for a long time. She was nervous.

"Ellard, be quiet now." Said Lord Torrhen. "Ceyana, we have made decisions for the safety of you and our House. You know how the war has affected us all..." he explained quietly and carefully. "Your sister's betrothal is uncertain now, Marq Piper being a prisoner at the Twins. This leaves only Ellard married, and we are in desperate need to show a support towards our allies..."

He went on, and on, and on. She wasn't paying attention, because she didn't need to. The look on her brother's face, the nervousness of Lord Torrhen, the satisfaction in Roose Bolton's eyes... She was surprised his son wasn't here, to make her feel a little more lonely. She knew too well how these things went.

The door slammed open and Ceyana jumped as she faced her sister. She look shocked and sad at the same time. It almost made Cey feel bad for her. She didn't have the time to put the piece of fabric she was holding down, her sister had already jumped in her arms, holding her so tightly she thought she would choke. She felt the dampness of her tears against her shoulder and her body shaking hard.

"Maye," she said, pushing her sister off her gently, "it's going to be fine. You can visit me, now." She forced a smile to reassure her twin.

To be honest, Ceyana didn't know what to do or say at this moment... Her arms were awkwardly placed around Maye's shoulders again, trying to calm her, and her thoughts were all over the place. She didn't even know what to think of her new betrothal. _I am going to marry that infamous bastard... _Mae seemed more scared and sad than she was herself. But why should she be scared? He never harmed them... He had actually been quite pleasant at the feast, the other night. But then Maye spoke too loudly...

She sighed, moved away and stood in front of the window. Did Ramsay even know? Was he going to agree? Or be angry? Who would want to marry someone with a sibling that expresses such hate towards them... She sighed sadly. Maybe he would understand she was innocent. Maybe he will be a decent husband? Why would be hurt her?

"Ceyana," her sister called in a small, shaky voice. "You don't realize, do you?"

She turned around to face her red-eyed sister. She couldn't show any compassion or pity for her. She had to show Maye how angry she was with her.

"He's a _monster_." She said in a shaky breath.

"He's my future husband." Cey corrected dryly.

"Not if we take you away from him," Maye replied. "Away from here and the chances of him hurting you."


	3. Maye

She opened her eyes with ease, for she wasn't really sleeping in the first place, anyway. The room was dark but for the light orange halo that escaped from the ashes in their fireplace. Ceyana was most probably fast asleep by now, like the rest of the castle. _Or she's probably having nightmares about her fate_... She thought miserably.

"Cey," she whispered in a shaky voice, putting a hand on her shoulder to wake her up. "Ceyana, wake up." She said louder after a minute of silence from her sister.

Her twin murmured some inaudible words and rolled over to open two very sleepy and red eyes. She had wept before she went to bed, Maye was sure. She needed to help her, no matter the risks.

"Come, I have everything ready," she ordered, taking her sister's hand helping her out of the bed. "I know what you're going to say, so I shall say this now: there is no way you will make me change my mind. Yes, I have lost my wits. But not my courage, sister. And it is still time to save your life, so just follow me."

"Wh-" Ceyana yawned widely, putting a hand in front of her mouth. "What?" She asked, still half in her dreams (or nightmares).

Maye ignored her, made her stand up and managed to put a thick, woolen dress over her head. She had chosen the dark green one, so no one would see them running. It is when she fastened the cloak around Cey's neck that the girl finally understood.

"No!" She almost shouted. But Maye had put a hand over her lips.

"You head me. We are leaving. Now." She whispered. The thought of getting caught almost made her shiver. She chose to ignore it.

"Maye, are you absolutely out of your mind?" Ceyana demanded as her twin was grabbing a couple of bags for each girl. "No, I will not..." She looked around the room, waked to the dresser, saw it empty and turned to Maye. "I _can't_, Maye!" She insisted. "I am to wed Ramsay Bolton, and that is it. No one asked you your opinion, nor mine. At anyway, it is not ours to give." She unfastened her cloak. "I shall be loyal to our House, sister, and I won't betray the Boltons. Not after what happened to Robb Stark and his mother."

"No one will know." Maye insisted. "They will see us gone. How will they know what happened? Let's go, now, before anyone hears you."

She grabbed the cloak off the floor, put it back on her sister, gave her two bags and almost pushed her out the door. Thankfully, they made it to the courtyard without Ceyana making any noise. The first guard didn't see them sneaking out. This was another good thing.

"Here!"

Ceyana almost shouted as they heard the voice, but Maye elbowed her in the ribs and looked around to see Ser Jera Lowder walking towards them. He must have been guarding the gate they were about to pass. _Worst of all, it was the only gate left before we would make it out of the castle. _

"Some say it is better luck to pray at night, when the sounds are dead and the people are in peace." Maye said at once, standing straight and sounding as honest as she could. Cey said nothing.

"At three hours before dawn, is it?" Asked Ser Jera, amused. "Go back to bed, my ladies, it is not safe out there. You know that-"

"I will speak to my father if you do not let us out, Ser," Maye said in a stern voice. "As you said, we are ladies, we have permission."

Luckily again, Ser Jera wasn't the smartest knight her father had under his command. After a little more argument, he eventually let them past, making the girls promise they would come back after an hour. Maye obviously ignored that. Like she was ignoring the muttering and weeping coming from her sister.

"Sh!" She snapped, hiding behind a house at a corner of the village. _Two more streets, and we are free._

"Maye, please." She pleaded. "Let's go back," she sniffled and wiped her nose with her sleeve. "You can come with me to the Dreadfort, if you wish, sister. Then you'll be with me until you find yourself a lord husband and no betrayal-"

"Be quiet, Cey!" She said in a loud whisper. "I will not let you go back, not to him. Ever!"

The thought of the Bastard turned her heart to nothing but a piece of chewed jelly in her chest. He would kill them both when he finds them. _If _he finds them. He won't. They will hide. Forever if needed. _He wouldn't even kill us_... He will make them suffer like he had never done before, for the were, indeed, betraying his House. He might be kind enough to just flay her and let her die this way. Or cut pieces of her body off... But gods know what he would do to Ceyana. _My poor sister, why you?_

"Sneaking 'round in the dark, aye?" A familiar, high-pitched voice came from behind them.

Maye wasn't even sure she shouted of fright, with the jump she made. Her face must have been as red as Ceyana's was white. The rage came flushing to her heart when she saw who it was.

"Go away, Rhona!" She said harshly. "And do not tell anyone, or I swear-"

"Seems to me you can swear all you like, you don't look very loyal standing here in the shadows, do ya?" She laughed loudly. Like she always did. "Go back to your castles m'ladies, you don't want to walk 'round here alone. Not even the two o'you." She pulled a piece of her chalet back up her bare shoulder.

"Help-" Ceyana started saying, before Maye shut her up.

"Help us out and I'll send a letter to father to give you enough money so you won't ever need to sell your body again." She promised.

Rhona stood quiet for a second. Maye knew how ashamed she was of her night work. She never, ever spoke of it. Only once Maye and Ceyana crept to the village one night and came across a drunken Rhona. Their half-sister had told them all about it in a stream of tears.

"Very well." She said sternly.

And so the three young women walked around the village to her house. She made them wear potato sacks over their heads and lie in the back of a wooden carriage. She tied a donkey to it at made it to the Main Gate.

"Who goes there?" They heard.

"A villager on her way to the next village, ser." Rhona replied, ever so naturally. "Potato deliver, know won't know about this sorta thing." She added.

He let her past. They were out... Free and away from that evil thing that was to wed Ceyana. Her sister was still shaking and muttering about how scared she was. Cey probably didn't even know why she was doing this in the first place.

"I will send a letter on the morrow, if we find a village." Maye told the bastard girl.

"No need. I'm coming with you," she replied, no emotion on her face. "I'm not wanted here anyways, why stay?" She grinned.

Maye didn't reply and Ceyana couldn't protest for Rhona was already showing the lead.

The walked silently until dawn was upon them and they had reached a village. Rhona put dirt on the twins' faces and made sure they were not easily recognizable. They were still too close to Skyehold to be walking around at day.

They bought food and supplies, crossed the village and were walking in the woods again. Maye was exhausted, like the other two, but none dared stop for even a minute. Bolton and Empharrion men were probably already hunting them down. If it were to be Ramsay Bolton who found them... Maye shook her head. _He won't_.

The eventually stopped after a day of walking through woods and hills. They dared not try for an inn – or even a village – so they made camp between the trees, under the protection of the shadows and the leaves that hid them.

The next day was the same and so was the week they spent, walking North. Why North? No one knew. Rhona didn't answer and Maye and Ceyana had no choice but to follow. Neither spoke much anyway. Ceyana was clearly angry and disappointed at her sister and Maye was scared but didn't want to show it. Rhona would tell them stories and sing a little when the air was too tense. She would dance as she walked in front of them, sing in all sorts of ways – good and bad –, make fun of them... But she still refused to tell them where they were going.

"Seems to me the weather is getting colder, aye?" She once asked, putting a warmer dress on. One Maye brought in one of her bags.

The girls didn't answer. Ceyana was practically held by the hand by Rhona and Maye's head was a mix of worries and anger. Anger because Ceyana had been caught numerous times trying to escape while they slept and because she had no idea whatsoever where they were heading, worries because of that stupid Bastard on their heels. He will never give up, that's for sure.

"Cheer'up Cey, at least you won't be marrying no bastard anymore!" Rhona chirped, pinching her half-sister as they were eating a rabbit around an improvised fire. "He'll soon be tired o' running 'round looking for his lil' maiden and go back to his black hole." She added, chewing a bone.

"You don't understand..." Ceyana mumbled.

"Please don't tell me you were going to give yourself a chance of falling in _love_ with him..." Maye started, eying her with the darkest look she could give. She stopped when Cey looked back with her red, sorry ones. "Gods!" She sighed loudly.

"Some girls I work with like 'em mean and brutal," Rhona laughed. "They say it's more fun, for some reason." She shrugged her shoulders.

Maye rolled her eyes, not believing Ceyana. How could she be so _stupid_ and innocent? She almost felt like laughing. _Falling in love with the Bastard of Bolton_. Not even a girl of twelve-and-ten who just flowered would believe it for a second. She just shook her head and threw the rabbit bones away in the bushes.

"Come on ladies, there's a long way to go still," Rhona announced, getting up and gathering their things. She snapped her head around to look behind them. "Their not far."

Maye's heart shrank. What did she mean? What had she heard?..

The answer came as fast as the question had appeared in her head: voices, dogs and horses. _Gods be good,_ had been her last thought.


	4. The Pink Lady

She sipped her wine silently, listening to the enraged voice of her husband through the massive doors. She sighed and looked back down at her needlework as if she had never seen it before. _Ceyana and Maye gone... _The though could make her cry at any moment. She considered them as her own sisters, and the thought of Ellard devastated her even more... _If only I could help him_. But she couldn't; she was only his wife. She was heavy with child and could barely walk up and down some stairs, let alone help find two lost young women. She still wondered _why_ they would have done such a thing, with the risks and consequences.

But, above all, she did not understand Lord Torrhen's decision of marrying his daughter to Ramsay Snow.

The doors swung open and her husband entered the room like a storm. She could see the anger and pain in his eyes – the look that never left him – as he walked to the window of their bedroom. She put a hand on her big, round belly and looked at him, hopeless.

"My love?" She dared ask.

"It's as if Father didn't care that two of his children are wandering around in the wild, running from that..." He sighed, not wanting to finish his sentence. "How could he even think Ceyana would have accepted this betrothal?"

"I don't think Ceyana would have done such a thing, Ellard..." she argued.

"But she did, Fea." He instantly replied, in a surprisingly calm voice.

She had nothing else to say. She couldn't convince him it was all going to go well; she had tried so many times before. She pushed herself up and walked to the window to stand behind Ellard and put a hand on his shoulder. Only when he put a hand over hers did she dare rest her head on him as a sign of support.

Everything was going perfectly until the betrothal – they both knew. They barely slept nor spoke for fear of saying something that would vex either of them. The girls mean the world to Ellard and Fea loved them to bits. Even Rickon was saddened by their disappearance, despite Fea's comforting words and Ellard's promises.

She thought of Lady Mercilya, locked up in her room, leaving it only to pray in the godswoods. Then Lord Torrhen, who was always sitting on his high chair, staring silently at the map on the North and only listening to soldiers who would inform him on the search that they started instantly after the girls had disappeared. She thought of the soldier, Ser Jera Lowder, who had been condemned to spend his days in the dungeons of Skyehold untill the girls return. Finaly, she thought of the Boltons that had left when the girls had disappeared, as if to not have anything to do with whatever might hapen to them. The Bastard had left his own way with hunting dogs and men to search for Ceyana himself. He could not be stopped, for he left during the next night, and that worried her more than anything.

"I will have to go and look for them myself." He declared after a moment of silence. He turned around and looked at his wife with red eyes. "It's the only way."

"No." She said at once. "No, Ellard, please..." Her heart started sinking at the thought of Ellard leaving Rickard and her, and their unborn child.

"I don't have a choice." He walked away from her and to the door. "I'll leave on the morrow, the sooner the better."

"Ellard!" She shouted. "Are you out of your mind?" She hoped he could hear the fear and desperation in her voice.

She could have fallen to her knees, weeped as loud as she could and held her arms up to beg him to stay, but Ellard did not even turn around to see her one last time before rushing out of the room. Instead, he left her standing by the window, her hands on their future child and tears threatening to escape her reddened eyes. She was as scared and worried as he was – but he didn't see it. She could not sleep at night at the thought of the Bastard running after those two girls, even with a third of Lord Empharrion searching for them. Gods know what Ramsay Bolton would be capable of doing to them once he found them.

* * *

The cold breeze stung her hot cheeks as she walked around the garden, that afternoon. She needed fresh air and something new to think of – but nothing worked. She was sick with worry and angered by everything that was happening around her. She spotted the godswoods from afar and a thought passed her mind: _praying_. She wasn't used to praying the old gods, but there was nothing else to pray to in Skyehold.

As if by some miracle, Lady Mercilya was there, kneeling before the big white weir-wood. Her dark blue dress looked like a waterfall running down her back. Her dark blond hair was tied up in a heavy plate that fell to the small of her back, that was shaking from her sobs. Silent as a cat, Fea approached the woman and struggled to kneel besides her. Only when she managed to did her good-mother turn around to look at her with red, puffy eyes. If her heart weren't already broken, it would have cracked into a thousand pieces at the sight of the broken mother. Fea had no time to even reach out a hand to touch her shoulder that Lady Empharrion had collapsed on her and was weeping violently against her chest. Fea held her and stroked her hair in a clumsy way to try to comfort her. They said nothing but stayed that way for an hour or more.

She then helped her good-mother to her feet, said some calming words to help her shaking and her weeping and walked her to her bedroom. She even lay her on her bed, covered her with a fur blanket and whispered some last, soothing words before Lady Mercilya fell asleep in her sorrow and despair.

* * *

She decided to try to convince her husband once more.

She found him and his father talking over a map of Skyehold and the lands and villages around it. Torrhen Empharrion was already giving Ellard the piece of parchment that would let him go out and search for his sisters. _They have all gone completely mad_, she thought. She approached them slowly, her thick mustard-colored dress dragging behind her. She pushed a strand of loose hair back into her bun and looked straight into her husband's eyes.

"Ellard, please..." She put a hand on his cheek.

"Lady Fea, it is only for the best. I will send a hundred men to help Ellard and they will also keep him safe, I promise." His father said, calmly. "You would do the same, I know it."

He left on these words and made sure to shut the doors behind him.

"Ellard this is madness! Your father has an army out there searching for them, how are you going to make a difference?" Her hand went to his arm and she held it tightly, never wanting to let it go.

"I'm not going after the girls, Fea." He said very slowly. "I'm going to the Dreadfort."

Fea almost fainted and what he had just said. "You... what?"

"A bird came." He said, looking less sad and more angry. _He looks like this before a battle_, she remembered. He mentioned the piece of paper and a wooden box sitting on the table.

With a shaky hand, she took the piece of parchment and unfolded it.

_The search is over and I have what I was promised. She is mine to keep and mine to punish. You seemed to have forgotten who I was, let me remind you once more._

The box seemed as big and dark as the fear inside her stomach. Should she even look? She had to. She pushed Ellard's protective hand out of the way and opened it. It was not the smell of rotten flesh that made her want to vomit in the first place, it was the cruelty this person could represent by himself. She turned to her husband, whose eyes were looking at the ground as he stood against the table, arms tightly crossed and a frown that showed something completely different from the look she saw on him only hours before. She turned back and stared and the nose for a few more seconds before slamming the box shut.

"Find him." She whispered. "You find him, and kill him for what he will do to those poor girls, Ellard."


End file.
